Al served in the navy as a supply officer on the aircraft carrier, U.S.S. Coral Sea. He served from 1955 until his honorable discharge in 1959.

FAMILY

SIGNIFICANT OTHERS

CHILDREN

PARENT(S)

SIBLINGS

GRAND PARENTS

PET(S)

STORY

Alan D. Engebretson was born on September 19, 1936 in Spencer, Iowa. He was the first child of George R. and Constance “Duane” Engebretson. Growing up in Rembrandt, Iowa, Al always seemed to harbor a love for throwing: early on it was rocks, which he would throw at objects and other children. Luckily, he was able to channel this passion by pitching in pee wee baseball and eventually the Rembrandt town team. Through these years, Al nurtured a great love for baseball and a talent for it as well. Later on, Al would even be approached to try out for the Major League, which he declined, stating, “Oh, everybody gets those.”

Al attended the town school in Rembrandt. Later in his life, he would tell that classic harrowing tale of how he trudged miles through rain and snow to get to school. In reality the school was only a baseball field away from the Engebretson home. Al had three younger siblings: Sandra Rae, who tragically fell ill and passed away at the age of 13, George, and Doyle.

Shirley Ann Engebretson, born Shirley Bjorklund, was the first child of Margaret and Lester Bjorklund. She was born on January 11, 1937, likely at her father’s aunt and uncle’s farmhouse a little outside of Albert City, Iowa. Shirley grew up in Albert City where she loved to go to school and enjoyed learning. She attended a country school during her kindergarten year but started attending the Albert City town school in 1st grade until her eighth year. In contrast to Al’s great treks, Shirley and her younger brother, Lester Bjorklund Jr., rode the school bus, often being the first to be picked up and the last to be dropped off. By Shirley’s freshman year, the Bjorklunds moved to a farm outside Rembrandt.

From the time they first met at Rembrandt High School, Al and Shirley began dating and their stories would be strongly intertwined for the next 50 years. They were both active in school, particularly in sports, with Al playing basketball and baseball and Shirley playing softball and basketball. On top of this, Al and Shirley would also participate in many plays and speeches. Shirley also held various different offices for her class, none of which she could recall later on.

Al originally would have graduated in 1954.

However, due to a case of Scarlet Fever, Al wound up missing too much school and was held back a year. In a way, this was secretly a stroke of fortune as he was able to graduate the same year as Shirley. By this point, the two were wildly in love and after graduation, they were engaged to be married. On October 1, 1955, Al and Shirley were married at the Rembrandt United Methodist Church. They spent their honeymoon in the Black Hills of South Dakota.

After the honeymoon, it came time for the young couple to consider the future. Al enlisted in the U.S. Navy. The couple lived in a trailer on the naval base of Sanford, Florida where Al would ship out to the Mediterranean for months at a time on the aircraft carrier, U.S.S. Coral Sea, as a supply officer. It was in Florida that they welcomed their first child, Alene, to the world in 1956. The tour also brought them to Jacksonville, where their second child, Alesa, was born in 1957.

After four years of service, Al was honorably discharged and the family returned to Iowa to Storm Lake. After a brief time living in a hut near Buena Vista College, they moved into a quaint home at 1225 Seneca Street, where Al and Shirley would have many happy memories and experiences for the rest of their lives. With the births of their sons, Al Jr. in 1959 and Alec in 1962, the Engebretson family was complete (for the time being).

If you asked them, Al and Shirley would tell you their most important job throughout the years was raising a family. But food needed to be kept on the table. Throughout the years, Shirley would work various secretarial jobs and at the Super Value grocery store as a clerk, where Al and the kids would frequently drive down to pick her up. Eventually, she obtained a position in the District Clerk of Court’s office in the Buena Vista County Courthouse, where she worked for many years until retiring.

But to reiterate, family was their most important job, be it bringing home a Pekinese-rat terrier named Bubbles (at least in Al’s case, to Shirley’s chagrin) or coaching their

baseball teams, or simply attending sporting events such as baseball, basketball, softball, and track as spectators. It was taking family trips and teaching them to drive; it was watching their children one-by-one graduate high school, college, and eventually become married and start families of their own. No task was too great for Al and Shirley.

Though the kids moved out of the house, family never ceased to be important to them, especially as the grandchildren accumulated (eventually bringing the total to 14). The little house at 1225 Seneca would continue to be a warm and welcoming place for the growing number of bodies through holidays, events, or just a simple visit. Al and Shirley would continue to visit their kids and support their grandchildren by attending events like plays, sports, and graduations.

As they grew older, Al and Shirley remained active and enjoyed life with activities such as bowling, golfing, and taking trips. But after nearly 60 years of having their stories intertwined, it came to an end when Al died on Monday, July 21, 2008 at Storm Lake’s Buena Vista Regional Medical Center after a long battle with cancer. Though now separated physically, Shirley has carried on the spirit of what their lives together represented: do what you enjoy, travel, spend time with friends, visit family and be there for the special moments, and above all, love life.

Al and Shirley share a grave site at the Storm Lake Cemetery because, though bodies are fragile and can be taken easily, sometimes love isn’t. In the case of Al and Shirley, the love that these two offered to each other and to all of those around them will last an eternity.

MY PHOTOS

Alan D. Engebretson
Born September 19, 1936

Shirley Ann Bjorklund
Born January 11, 1937

Al around the age of 5.

Young Shirley with her brother, Lester Bjorklund Jr.

Al around the age of 9.

Al around the age of 12.

Shirley as a teenager.

Shirley as a teenager.

Al playing baseball - he could\'ve tried out for the majors!

Al and Shirley began dating in High School.

Al and Shirley began dating in High School.

They graduated from High School together in 1955.

Al\'s graduation photo.

Shirley\'s graduation photo.

Wedding Napkin. They were married on October 1st, 1955.

Al with friends before the wedding.

Shirley with friends before the wedding.

Shirley walking the aisle.

Mr. and Mrs. Engebretson sealing the deal.

Mr. and Mrs. Engebretson leaving the alter.

The newlyweds greeting guests after the wedding.

The newlyweds greeting guests after the wedding.

Al, Shirley, and their families at the reception.

Cutting the wedding cake!

Eating the wedding cake!

Opening their wedding presents.

Honeymoon in the Black Hills.

Al served on board the U.S.S. Coral Sea until 1959.

Al relaxing on the U.S.S. Coral Sea.

Al and Shirley while Al was on boot leave. They lived in Florida at this time.

Al and Shirley with their first child, Alene, born in 1956.

Shirley with baby Alene.

Al with four generations of Engebretsons.

Al with their second child, Alesa, born in 1957.

AleneAlesaMomToddlers

Al with Alene and Alesa.

Shirley with Alene and Alesa.

Shirley with four generations.

Shirley with Alene, Alesa, and their third child, Alan Jr., born in 1959.

Al with their last child, Alec, born in 1962. They are in front of their home in Storm Lake.

Shirley with Alec.

The Engebretson Family - Christmas 1964.

The Engebretson Family - in from the cold.

Shirley with the kids at the Grand Canyon.

The Engebretson family - Christmas 1969.

Engebretson family photo - 1969.

Al and Shirley\'s photo - 1969.

Al lighting up a pipe with some friends.

Shirley dressed as a ghost for Halloween.

Al and Shirley hanging out - 1979.

Al dressed as Bud Man for Halloween.

Bud Man soaring.

The Engebretson family photo - 1980.

Al and Shirley - 25th Anniversary. 1980.

Al and Shirley - Christmas 1981.

Al in a spiffy leisure suit.

Al and Shirley - Christmas 1984.

Al and Shirley - Christmas 1984.

Al enjoying a beer during a trip to Montana.

Al supporting the Hawkeyes.

Al - ahead of his time.

Al and Shirley on vacation in 1985.

Al relaxing - Christmas 1985.

Al and Shirley in 1986.

Al and Shirley at Alene\'s wedding.

Al and Shirley at Alesa\'s wedding.

Al and Shirley at Alan Jr.\'s wedding.

Al and Shirley at Alec\'s wedding.

Shirley cooking up trouble.

Al and Shirley with a grandchild.

Al receiving a \"merp\".

Al\'s eager face.

Al with a grandkid.

Al snapping a photo.

Shirley with a grandkid.

Shirley playing with a grandkid.

Al with two grandkids.

Al with two more grandkids!

Al with just one grandkid again.

Shirley with a grandkid.

Al with a grandkid.

Shirley worked at the courthouse for some time.

The full Engebretson family - 14 grandchildren!

Shirley enjoying some breakfast.

Shirley locked away during vacation.

Shirley during a vacation.

Al and Shirley in 2004.

Al and Shirley visiting Mexico.

Al hanging out in front of the Engebretson home.

Al and Shirley at their grandson, Kipp\'s h.s. graduation. First graduating grandkid of many!